Jay-Z’s much-hyped ‘Answer The Call’ 9/11 charity concert took place in New York’s Madison Square Garden last night (and aired on FUSE). A host of fellow artists joined the rapper, whose Blueprint 3 LP aptly dropped this week, including Rihanna, Kanye West, Kid Kudi and John Mayer. Check out the performances below:
Run This Town / Can’t Tell Me Nothing (w/ Rihanna & Kanye)
Already Home, Heart of the City, D.O.A (w/ Kid Kudi & John Mayer)
I really enjoyed all the performances, though I must say Ms. Fenty did remind me why she doesn’t get my support with her live performing (no stage presence+annoying yoodling+no believe’ablity=not hot).
Peep a radiant looking Whitney Houston on the cover of the October issue of Ebony magazine (on newsstands September 8th). In the feature, the diva discusses shedding the drama from her life, her time away from the limelight, her relationship with daughter Bobbi-Kristina. Check out some extracts from the interview:
On shedding the drama:
“I shed a lot of stuff, a lot of unnecessary weight in the last three or four years. I left a lot of old luggage behind, and when I did, the blessings just started pouring on me, and the light in my spirit started to lift again,” she tells the magazine. “I’m really humbled, and I thank God that people love me, but I [really] thank God that God loves me. I thank Him for chastening my heart, for never letting go. What I did sometimes … I went off and did my thing, but He
never let me go.”
On her time out of the limelight:
“I was just ready to lay back and raise my daughter and just watch her grow and nurture her. And my mother’s getting older. I wanted to spend more time with my mom [because during] most of my 20s and 30s, [I] was dealing with making records and traveling the world and being this thing — icon, you know — whatever this has turned into.”
On her relationship with Bobbi Kristina:
“She and I are not only mother and daughter, but we’re good friends. I want her to trust me, to be able to trust in me, to know that I’m not going nowhere. If she knows that I’m there for her, she can depend on me. I’m the dependable one; she can depend on her mommy.”
Definitely looking forward to catching the full interview.
In the meanwhile, check out a new video interview with the 46 year old superstar, in which she discusses the process of creating the album, as well as specific tracks. (Note this was shot about 2 months ago):
With Whitney’s album already, as at writing, sitting at the top of the iTunes album chart after officially being released in the US today, it seems fair to say this album may just be the big comeback her fans and the general public are hoping for.
Hard on the grind for her ‘Lady Love’ project, LeToya Luckett performed a set in Dallas over the weekend for ‘Hip-Hop For HIV Awareness’. Peep her performance of new single ‘She Aint Got…’ above.
Good performance aside, a little underground drama popped off on the back of this one.
Notice how at the start LeToya does an acapella of previously heard new song ‘Regret’ singing: “Now you’re at the bar with 1, 2, 3. Poppin’ game, ya look so lame, without me your pimpin’ ain’t the same”. Immediately after, just before launching into ‘She Ain’t Got…’, she then says to the crowd “I know ya’ll know who I’m talking about!”. To date, LeToya’s only public romance has been with fellow Houston native Slim Thug.
Further adding fuel to the fire, Slim Thug took to his official Twitter pagenot long after saying: “If u a R&b singer chick fuck with me Ima make u go platinum.. Give u helluva songs torn,regret,not anymore,she ain’t got etc…gnr”.
I guess things aren’t as cool between the former couple as we’ve been led to believe. Hmmm…
Last week it was confirmed that Whitney Houston’s comeback album is titled ‘I Look To You’. The set features productions from the likes of Ne-Yo, Akon, Swizz Beats, Dianne Warren and R. Kelly who penned the album’s title track.
I remember watching the above clip little over a year ago, which sees the R&B crooner singing the song, confirming he wrote for it Whitney’s LP. Kelly will, I’m sure, be glad the cut has been placed on the final record for 2 main reasons: 1) he will be part of something the world is waiting for and, 2) “Ka-Ching!!!” Should Whitney’s album be the seller many are predicting it will be, a major paycheque for controversial Kelly would be in store.
About the actual track, I’m loving it! Can’t wait to hear Whitney’s take on it. That said, while I appreciate all Whitney’s been through, I’m hoping the album isn’t all ‘inspirational’ ballads. Ballader or otherwise, Whitney is very versatile and can churn out some winning contemporary uptempos too (See: ‘It’s Not Right, But It’s Ok’, ‘If I Told You That’, ‘Whatchulookinat’).
‘I Look To You’ hits stores on September 1st via Arista.
With Keri Hilson’s debut ‘In A Perfect World’ finally set to arrive in stores tomorrow, the singer-songwriter dropped the video for her latest single ‘Knock You Down’ today. The Kanye West and Ne-Yo assisted song is definitely one of the album’s standout cuts IMO, so it’s great to see it get the single treatment.
About the video, I’m liking the concept. Nothing to make you go ‘wow’, but does just enough. Keri looked great too.
Rapper Kanye West is facing up to 30 months in jail after being charged for a scuffle he had with a paparazzo last year:
LOS ANGELES (AFP) — Superstar US rapper Kanye West has been charged with assault, theft and vandalism related to a September 2008 incident involving paparazzi at Los Angeles’ LAX airport, prosecutors announced Wednesday.
The 31-year-old Grammy-award-winning musician could face up to 30 months in prison.
West was arrested on September 11 after the airport altercation in which West and his manager Don Crawley “confronted, and engaged in an altercation with, two photographers,” the LA attorney’s office said in a statement.
Crawley, 33, was also charged on two counts of battery, two counts of theft and two counts of vandalism, and faces a possible five years in prison.
The incident was caught on video tape, widely viewed on the Internet, which shows West and Crawley wrestling camera equipment from photographers and smashing it on the ground.
The two men are set for arraignment in Los Angeles on April 14.
The incident took place early in the morning as West prepared to board an airplane, while paparazzi tried to photograph and film him.
Reports at the time found the camera equipment was valued at over 10,000 dollars. Police arrested West as he tried to board his plane. {Source}
It’s well known the paparazzi can get out of hand, yet it’s still no excuse to lash out with violence. Kanye should know it all comes with the territory and no one is above the law. I can’t see much coming from this, though…
Peep Kanye West on the cover of the latest issue of Details Magazine. As ever with Kanye, the article had many an interesting quote:
Kanye on his music career:
“There’s nothing more to be said about music. I’m the f–king end-all, be-all of music. I know what I’m doing. I did ‘808s’ in three weeks. I got it. It’s on cruise control … Man, we talked about music for God knows how long! Now let’s talk about how my f–king sweater didn’t come back right from Korea. That’s what’s interesting me.”
Kanye on his image:
“I had a style that was over-the-top, overly expressive, and it forced me to just lay back and be a little cooler. One of the problems with being a bubbling source of creativity — it’s like I’m bubbling in a laboratory, and if you don’t put a cap on it, at one point it will, like, break the glass. If I can hone that … then I have, like, nuclear power, like a superhero, like Cyclops when he puts his glasses on.”
Kanye on the woman he wants to marry:
“What I feel like — ’cause I wanna be married, of course—I feel like the type of girl I would be with is a fellow superhero. So we get that ‘already flying and now we’re just flying together’ thing.”
Kanye on the word ‘Gay’:
“Titles are very important. I like to embody titles, y’know, or words that have negative connotations, and explain why that’s good. Take the word gay — like, in hip-hop, that’s a negative thing, right? But in the past two, three years, all the gay people I’ve encountered have been, like, really, really, extremely dope. Y’know, I haven’t, like, gone to a gay bar, nor do I ever plan to. But where I would talk to a gay person — the conversation would be mostly around, like, art or design — it’d be really dope. From a design standpoint, kids’ll say, ‘Dude, those pants are gay.’ But if it’s, like, good, good, good fashion-level, design-level stuff, where it’s on a higher level than the average commercial design stuff, it’s, like, gay people that do that. I think that should be said as a compliment. Like, ‘Dude, that’s so good it’s almost … gay.’”
As with most things Kanye has to say, there’s mix-mash of ego, self-indulgence, wackiness and above all – truth.
According to AllAccess.com, Jennifer Hudson is set to follow-up current single ‘If This Isn’t Love’ with the fiery ‘Pocketbook’, which features rapper Ludacris. The track goes for adds on radio February 17th.
While I’m still hoping ‘Invisible’ receives the single treatment, I’m liking that she’s going with something more uptempo this go-round. For those who have yet to hear the song, check it out below:
With 50 Cent’s ‘Before I Self Destruct’ LP nearing release, it could only mean one thing – ol’ Curtis pathetically stirring up some drama. Once again taking aim at Kanye West, the G-Unit rapper uploaded this several years old video to his ThisIs50.com site, showing Kanye talking about getting his fashion sense from gay guys.
It’s funny; since Kanye wiped the floor with him in their 2007 chart battle, I’ve yet to hear Kanye make any mention of 50. Whereas 50 stays mouthing off about Kanye and just about everyone else. No surprises though. When your career is heading where 50’s is (See: Ja Rule, Fat Joe etc), desperate times call for desperate measures – and desperate this is. SMH.
Check out this lengthy snippet of a new track from Ciara’s ‘Fantasy Ride’ LP called ‘Turn Me On, which features Chris Brown. Despite reserving my full judgement until hearing the track in its entirety, I must say the beat goes hard.
It has now been confirmed that ‘Fantasy Ride’ will now be hitting stores April 3rd.
This week ushered in the release of Keyshia Cole’s third studio album ‘A Different Me’. With early estimates showing the album to be on course to sell over 300,000 copies in it’s first week, Cole’s looks set to further cement her place in the industry.
That said, we here at That Grape Juice want to know what you think of the album? Have you bought it already? What do you think of it? Will you be buying it?
Having given the album a quick run-through myself, I can’t really much jumped out at me. There’s no doubt Keyshia is benefiting from the festive sales, but come January – considering there seems to be little-to-no hype around the project and not a hit in sight – it’ll be interesting to see whether her sales will hold up. Anyway…
Madonna took a tumble during her recent concert in Brazil’s Rio De Janeiro. Peep the clip above
By all means funny stuff, but the Pop superstar is likely to be the last one laughing; her Sticky & Sweet tour continues to break records across the globe, already amassing a whopping $213 Million for the singer already.
Randomness: I really wish Michael and Janet would take note. Record sales may not be what they once were (even for ol’ Madge), but hitting the road is increasingly becoming ‘the’ way to go. One can only hope…
Following the postponement of two dates on Janet Jackson’s acclaimed ‘Rock Witchu Tour’ last week, a rep for the Pop Icon has announced that there are unfortunately more delays:
GREENSBORO, N.C. – Janet Jackson has postponed three more shows because of an undisclosed illness.
Her publicist said in an e-mail late Saturday that Jackson was postponing a Saturday show in Greensboro, N.C., one on Sunday in Atlanta and a third on Tuesday in Fort Lauderdale.
A statement from Jackson said she arrived in Greensboro, N.C., hoping to perform there Saturday, but a local doctor advised that she not perform after it became “evident” she was not fully recovered.
Representatives for the 42-year-old singer say she became “suddenly ill” and was hospitalized Monday night in Montreal shortly after she arrived for a show. She also canceled concerts in Boston and Philadelphia on Wednesday and Thursday.
Jackson’s publicist did not elaborate Saturday, only saying she was “recuperating.” The note said Jackson will return home, at her doctor’s direction, for further treatment.
In the note Jackson asked people to keep their tickets for the postponed shows, and said the promoter is working to reschedule dates. {Source}
After the phenomenol response the tour has received, I’m really hoping Janet has a speedy recovery to get back to doing what she does best – thrilling audiences.
As I’m sure you’ll understand, the postponement of the dates has thrown a spanner into the sequencing of our ‘That Grape Juice Wants To Rock Witchu’ contest. Not to worry though, we’ve tweaked things slightly so as to give you all a fair chance of winning tickets to see Ms. Jackson and ample time to create your video entries. Click here for more info, including new dates added – New Jersey, Atlanta (rescheduled) and more.
